 The House killed the plan by a vote of 55-39 a day after the same
measure passed the state Senate with bipartisan support. Nineteen
members voted present.State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, a
sponsor of the failed plan, said he would work to pass another
measure that would repeal the state's Workers' Compensation Act and
the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act, eliminating the current
system employers and employees use to settle injury claims.
The nearly 50,000 cases in the workers' compensation system would
be thrust into the circuit court system.
Bradley's "nuclear option" passed the House last week and awaits
action in the Senate.
State Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, the Senate sponsor of the
failed measure, said late Sunday that he would be moving Bradley's
"nuclear option" in the Senate as soon as Monday.
"We need some type of workers' compensation reform, and that may
be our only option at this point," Raoul said.
Raoul said he wants the Legislature to create a new, improved
workers' compensation system, once the current system is gone.
Bradley said his failed measure would have saved business in the
state at least $500 million, mainly through reducing by 30 percent
the amount doctors are paid to treat injured employees.
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Republicans in the House, claiming the majority of dissenting
votes, said Bradley's plan did not adequately address the high cost
of workers' compensation insurance and the extent to which the
employee must prove his or her injury was a direct result of his
job.
Gov. Pat Quinn said last week that he would sign a workers'
compensation reform measure into law but voiced hesitancy about a
plan that would eliminate the system entirely.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By ANDREW THOMASON]
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